In Memoriam

In Memoriam

Cindy Mueller, "Cinderella"

Pineshadows

September 8, 1927 - July 19, 2003

Cindy was a long-time member of the Capital City Cocker Club, a dedicated cocker breeder,author of the "Cinderella's Corner" column for the Leader, and a very special person.

Probably the last time a lot of people saw her was at our sweeps in 2002. The scheduled judge was unavailable and she stepped in at the very last minute, right after her chemo treatment, to judge for us.

Cindy, Susan DeJulius, and Luann Chandler with CH Tallymark DJ's Bella Sera at the Capital City Cocker Club 2002 Speciality Sweeps. It was a pleasant surprise for Cindy to discover after the sweeps that Bella is descended from Ch. Pineshadow's Son of A Bear and Ch. Ging's Pineshadow of Yer Smile

Memorial Navigation Links
Bill Gordoner and Lloyd Alton's Article	Letter from Cindy's Daughter-in-Law
Northern Virginia Daily News	Pineshadow Champions Page
American Spaniel Club Memorial	CCCC Cocker Chatter

JANET W. ("CINDY") MUELLER Our favorite name for Cindy was "Ms. 'Rella." Like her Cinderella handle it fit her like a glove. Her warmth and enthusiasm was so contagious and her spirit and love of life was a great inspiration. When Cindy was diagnosed with cancer she jumped into whatever treatments were available with the same gusto that she attacked any problem that came up with the Pineshadows cockers and she prevailed for a time over the health problem to such a degree that most of us around her almost forgot what was hanging over her head. When Cindy realized that her situation at best would be held in abeyance she said, "I 've had a great life. I've had great kids and I've had a ball with the dogs and love the kitties I've rescued over the years and my garden; I'm not giving in to being depressed but want to live every minute and enjoy every day." She did that and then some including breeding a few more precious Pineshadows browns and taking a wonderful paseo to Alaska with her family which she thoroughly enjoyed and typical of a turista showed all of us who had to stay home pictures galore of her great time. Cindy's Cinderella's Corner in The Cocker Spaniel Leader was the place to go for tips on keeping your cockers fit or the place to go when you were feeling low. This little dynamo in her countless turns around her corner spread more cheer than the original Cinderella when she donned the legendary slipper. All around her little sunlit house in addition to all the dog stuff were little notes for new columns. She took this little avocation of hers very seriously and unless you've tried coming up with ideas every four weeks to share with God and man you've no idea how hard our Cinderella worked to spread her words that in many ways will be other than her wonderful dogs an everlasting epitaph to her and her love for the breed and all the people connected to it. Cindy was never afraid to take a chance. Her first big special was the little tricolor bitch Ch. Birchwood Bric-a-Brac. "Fancy" or as Cindy called her "Fancy the Great" was known as the "no-hands girl." From Westminster to shows far and wide, large and small, this little tricolor made a big impact. Typical Cindy she poured most of her teaching salary into Fancy's career. Practicality was never her strong point but this never to be forgotten bitch was the first big gamble in dogs that Cindy won. Fancy was shown by the late Bill Ernst who encouraged her to start breeding browns. For hours Bill inculcated Cindy with his theories. Her steeltrap mind absorbed the product of his genius and through the years her Pineshadows browns and other colors carrying brown contributed much to cockers. Fate is a very fickle dame. Cindy's greatest producing dogs were two black & tans: Ch. Pineshadows Persuader and Ch. Pineshadows Brass Tax. A look through any stud issue of The Leader will show you how prevalent either Persuader or Taxi have been in the pedigrees of the best browns out winning today. What you don't see are the wonderful temperaments that Cindy's dogs have bequeathed the breed. Proper fronts, no slips and beautiful heads were trademarks of Pineshadows and for tan point lovers Cindy's kennel was always a treasure trove. Fame is fleeting and success is a very subjective subject but what Cindy contributed to cockers in wonderful dogs and kind words will be remembered whenever cocker people gather and whenever lovers of cockers no matter what color care to remember those who have given their all to the cause. At our house ever since Cindy became ill we've toasted her at cocktail time and will continue to do so. She will be sorely missed and not just by us. Bill Gorodner & Lloyd Alton.
	"Fancy" Ch. Birchwood Bric-a-Brac son of Ch Birchwood Bacharach out of Birchwood Butterscotch, handled by Bill Ernst winning the Variety at Westminister Kennel Club, 1975, under Mr Chris Teeter.

	"Persuader" Ch. Pineshadows Persuader son of Ch. Rinky Dink's Sir Lancelot out of Pineshadow's Pokrastanator. Handled to a Group placing at the Tonawanda Valley KC in June 1977 by Cindy under Mr. Robert Braithwaite.

	"Taxi" Ch. Pineshadows Brass Tax son of Ch. Frandee's Top Brass out of Ch. Pineshadows Care Bear. Shown by Mike Pitts, date unknown

	Ch. Pineshadows P'Nut Butter Bear and his son Ch. Pineshadow's Son of a Bear

CCCC Cocker Chatter, July August 2003

President's Message

On the passing of member and friend Cindy Mueller on July 19, 2003.....

The past few days should have been difficult ones for me and for many others who knew and will miss Cindy Mueller. But somehow, the "devil may care" attitude that epitomized Cindy's life, has somehow climbed into our beings and brought with it, more thoughts of fun times than sad ones. It's funny how those things can rub off on you.

It might be a happy thing if we could hang on to that attitude. We all have a lot to laugh at, if we just would. Our breed standard says: "above all must be merry" (or something like that) . Maybe that meant us. Our dogs already are. They didn't need to be told.

Luann

Janet Elaine Wenk

Potsdam Normal School

(Crane School of Music in Postdam, NY)

circa 1947 or 1948

The following message is from her daughter-in-law, Linda. The Cinderella's Corner article referenced is in the July, 2003 issue of the Leader

Dearest Friends of Cindy's,

As I am sure most of you know by now, Cindy passed away on Saturday, July 19th at 3:54 AM with her daughter Elizabeth at her bedside and her white kitty Alice cuddled asleep next to her. We are saddened with her loss, but there are seeds of peace and comfort in our hearts this morning, knowing that she has rejoined her family and friends and beloved pets across the Rainbow Bridge.

I want to share with you some of the special moments of her last day. On Friday morning she was asleep in her favorite blue chair in her bedroom and was barely responsive at that time. Mike sat with her for almost 4 hours in the morning, and I read to her, her mail, the emails that people kept sending, and Cinderella's Corner in the latest issue of Leader magazine. The article by Luann (Chandler) Tally in Cinderella's Corner this month is such a moving tribute to our Cinderella. Elizabeth spent time too, keeping Cindy company, talking to her, and helping her get her medicine to keep her restful. She truly added to the peace that we knew Cindy felt during the whole day as our family goal was to keep Cindy comfortable.

The chaplain arrived and we all gathered in that tiny room with my husband Mike, her daughter Elizabeth, and our son Ben. We shared some good stories about Cindy with the chaplain and it was truly a special time. He taught us how to let her go, to assure her we would be able to continue without her, in essence to give her permission to leave us knowing we would be okay in her absence. He encouraged us to tell Cindy those things we wanted to say but hadn't as of yet.

Just before we prayed, the doorbell rang and I answered it, to find the harpist on our doorstep, Cindy's little angel. Music therapy in the form of a harpist is one of the Hospice services available to us. We joined hands and prayed, and he even included Alice the cat in the prayer since she suddenly appeared in the middle of the prayer circle. Somehow we fit her and her harp into the tiny room and after the prayer time, she played for Cindy for an hour. I know Cindy heard the music (Bach) - she had been unresponsive for hours - but when the music played she frequently moved her arms, legs and face as if she was enjoying her own little concert. It was incredible to us that after the harpist left, she woke up and we assisted her to bathroom where she was her usual independent self insisting we "leave and close the door." When she returned to her room, she asked to go to her bed, we made her comfortable, and all spent time talking with her over the next few hours. These hours were a special gift to us. When she was unable to respond, we played Frank Sinatra music, and a Louis L'Amour book on tape for her.

We take much comfort knowing that she was comfortable and at peace. The last 2 weeks of her life there was minimal pain and most days her medications helped to manage the breathing. She had her greatest pleasures doing the simple things, birdwatching, family dinners, the soap operas, watching the squirrels take the acorns off our deck, reading her dog magazines and the cards and letters from folks.

Cindy did not want the formality of a funeral and so typical of what we know Cindy wanted, the family is planning an Open House in celebration of her life at her home in Woodstock, VA on Saturday, August 2nd, during the afternoon. We invite anyone who wishes, to drop by that day and share a story with us. If you would like to send a story to us, we are putting together a notebook, to include the kind and loving emails we have been receiving as well. We will bring that notebook to Woodstock so that all can share in the memories. Please send any emails to mueller73@comcast.net .

We thank you all for your thoughts and prayers, your cards and letters, the emails and phone calls. These things have helped us to see other aspects of Cindy's life and have been so encouraging and supportive to us. We are trusting that the seeds of peace will flourish to become the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, and shall keep our hearts and minds through Christ Jesus (Phil. 4:7).

Peace, linda

From the Northern Virginia Daily News and the Shenandoah Valley Herald

Mueller, Janet Elaine Wenk (Cindy)

Died on July 19, 2003 in Richmond, VA, in her son's home after a courageous battle with cancer. The daughter of the late Charles Schram Wenk, and Helga Henriette Petersen, she was born in Rockville Centre, NY on September 8, 1927, and is survived by her six loving children Michael (Linda) Mueller, David (Carmen) Mueller, Catherine (Scott) Baker, Joseph (Karen) Mueller, Elizabeth (Jay) Capozzi, and Christopher Mueller and her brother Peter Wenk. Also 9 grandchildren, 6 great-grandchildren, and extended family including a nephew, cousin, and former husband Eugene (Phyllis).

Cindy was a retired music teacher in the Webster, New York Central School District and a member of the American Spaniel Club. She was an active member of the Capital City Cocker Spaniel Club. She was very active in the breeding and raising of Cocker Spaniels for over 50 years and was considered by many to have one of the the finest breeding programs for brown cocker spaniels in the world. As a traveler throughout the United States, she lived in New York State, Salt Lake City, Utah, Kamas, Utah, and New Bern, North Carolina, and for the past 12 years in Woodstock, VA. She was very active in musical groups, activities and private music lessons up until her illness.

Cindy was a 1945 graduate from Baldwin High School (NY), a 1949 college graduate of the Potsdam Normal School (Crane School of Music in Postdam, NY), and received a Masters Degree from the State University of New York at Brockport (Brockport, NY).

There will be a celebration of her life on August 2, 2003 at her home at 804 Burgess Court, Woodstock, from noon to 5 PM. Anyone who knew Cindy please come and join in the celebration.

Gravesite services and interment will be held at Long Lake, NY cemetery on August 16, 2003. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the American Cancer Society or Bon Secours Hospice, 8580 Magellan Parkway, Building IV, Richmond, Va 23227.